委婉语社会语言学.ppt

委婉语社会语言学
Contents
Definition of Euphemism
1
Ways to Express Euphemism
2
The Social Functions of Euphemism
3
Conclusion
4
1. Definition of Euphemism
Euphemism is originally from Greek, meaning “speak with gook words〞. “eu〞 means “well or sounding well〞; “pheme〞 means “speech〞.
Its definition in Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture is “(an example of )the use of a pleasanter, less direct name for something thought to be unpleasant.〞
2. Ways to Express Euphemism
Figure
of
speech
Ways to
Express
Euphemism
Semantic
method
Figure of speech
t
Text
Text
Metonymy
Metaphor
Periphrasis
Generally speaking, three kinds of figure of speech are mostly used to express euphemism.
Metonymy
Metonymy is to use the general words to take the place of the concrete words
Text
Text
Text
1) “to be fond of the bottle〞 is a euphemism for “liking to drink〞 (to use the container to take the place of the things in the container)
2) “limb〞 for “leg〞 (to use the entirety instead of the part)
In Australian English “an old hand〞 is a euphemism for “an old prisoner〞 (the part can be used instead of the entirety)
3) “pick〞 is a tool of prying the lock. It can refer to “thief〞 (to use the tools to take the place of the objects)
4) “poppy〞 is a kind of flower, but it also refers to “opium〞 (to use raw materials to take the place of finished products)
5) “blood and iron〞 is a euphemism for “violence〞 (to use characteristics to take the place of objects)
Metaphor
To use metaphor can easily avoid the offensive things.
1) “to be a guest of the law〞 is a euphemism for “to be in prison〞
2) “going to his long home〞 “to be home and free〞 “to sleep the long (or eternal, never-ending) sleep〞 “to rest in peace〞 “ to go to Heaven (or Paradise)〞 “ to join the immortals〞 for “death〞
3) “sunset years 〞 for “aged〞
Periphrasis
It is an expression of beating around the bush. Teachers often use this expression to avoid the